Details remain unconfirmed, but Hughes reportedly injured his hand in a “freak accident” at a team dinner Thursday in Chicago. There are several rumors out there, including that he accidentally cut his hand with a knife, or the cut occurred when he “leaned on a glass, and it broke.”

As speculation grew, the Devils tried to get out in front of things when they announced Hughes is “out with a non-hockey, hand injury.”

#NEWS: Jack Hughes is out with a non-hockey, hand injury. He is being evaluated and we will provide an update as available. pic.twitter.com/4bfOT3tDtH

— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) November 14, 2025

The Devils provided further information Saturday, when they announced Hughes had surgery on his finger and is out eight weeks, a major blow to the team.

The New Jersey Devils have provided the following medical update:

“New Jersey Devils C Jack Hughes underwent successful surgery on his finger.
The procedure was performed by Dr. Robert Hotchkiss at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.
The expected return to play… pic.twitter.com/wVkPNZwe0Y

— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) November 15, 2025

Hughes, who has a team-high 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) in 17 games, misses his first game Saturday when the Devils visit the Washington Capitals. They do not have a morning skate scheduled, so coach Sheldon Keefe meets with reporters at 4:45 p.m. ET to, perhaps, provide more clarity on the exact nature of the injury.

All of the mystery surrounding the 24-year-old’s off-ice injury is eerily similar to one sustained by Rangers superstar Brian Leetch back in 1993. After an 8-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks at Madison Square Garden on March 19, the Rangers and their fans were stunned the next morning by the news that Leetch broke his right ankle the previous night.

The devastating injury didn’t occur in the game, but supposedly did take place on ice. The Rangers stated that the defending Norris Trophy-winner as the League’s top defenseman slipped on a patch of ice outside his apartment getting out of a taxi following the game.

However, rumors quickly spread that Leetch, who turned 25 just weeks earlier, and several teammates were out late at a local establishment and he broke the ankle taking a misstep off the curb heading toward a taxi. Even in the days before social media, rumors about how Leetch broke his ankle spread like wildfire.

Leetch’s injury was the capper on a tremendously disappointing season for him and the Rangers. Earlier that season, Leetch missed three months due to a nerve injury that affected his neck and shoulder, after he crashed into the boards during a game. The defending Presidents’ Trophy winners failed to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 1992-93, coach Roger Neilson was fired before the season ended, and Mark Messier and Co. were booed off the Garden ice in their finale.

The Devils can only hope their season doesn’t similarly go off the rails after the Hughes injury. They’re certainly playing good hockey — far better than the Rangers in 1992-93 — and there’s no evidence yet that this injury will be as catastrophic to them as Leetch’s was to the Blueshirts 31 years ago.

New Jersey (12-4-1) sits atop the Eastern Conference with 25 points, but defenseman Brett Pesce and forwards Connor Brown and Zack MacEwen are on IR. In addition, defenseman Dougie Hamilton and forward Cody Glass remain day to day with injuries.

Remember, a strong start last season wasn’t enough to sustain the Devils after they were hit hard by injuries to Hughes and Hamilton, among others. They lost to the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round of the playoffs.

Circling back to the Rangers, things worked out quite well the following season, when they won the Stanley Cup in 1994 and Leetch snagged the Conn Smythe Trophy as postseason MVP. Leetch eventually had his No. 2 retired by the Rangers, and he entered the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009.

It’s hard to believe that the first 25 seasons of the 21st century have come and gone. For the New York Rangers, it was a time of highs and lows.

The highs include a trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 2014, when they lost to the Los Angeles Kings in five games (three of the losses came in overtime). There were also three trips to the Eastern Conference Final (2015, 2022, 2024), two Presidents’ Trophies (2015 and 2024), and single season records for wins (55) and points (114), both in 2023-24.

On the downside, there were the final four seasons (2000-01 through 2003-04) of a seven-year playoff drought. There was also a last-place finish in 2017-18, as well as perhaps the most disappointing season in franchise history, when they went from winning the Presidents’ Trophy in 2023-24 to missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season – becoming just the fourth team in NHL history to do so.

The Rangers didn’t lack for talent during the first quarter of the century. They’ve already had one player (Henrik Lundqvist) earn induction to the Hockey Hall of Fame after playing his entire NHL career with the Rangers, as well as two who spent time on Broadway after 2000 near the end of theirs (Eric Lindros, Martin St. Louis).

Here’s our 20-man All-Rangers team for the first quarter of this century, including two goalies, six defensemen and 12 forwards.

Goaltenders

Henrik Lundqvist and Igor Shesterkin

Lundqvist, a seventh-round pick in the 2000 NHL Draft, is the greatest goaltender in Rangers history. He almost literally walked in off the street at training camp in 2005, quickly took the starting job and held it for 15 years. “The King” is sixth in NHL history and tops among Rangers goaltenders with 459 wins. His .918 save percentage is also the best in Rangers history, and his 2.43 goals-against average is the best among Rangers goaltender since World War II. He won the Vezina Trophy as the top NHL goalie in 2011-12 after being a finalist in his first three seasons, and set an NHL record by winning six consecutive Game 7s in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

But when it’s time to do the All-Half Century team, it’s not impossible that Igor Shesterkin will own at least some of the records Lundqvist now holds. He’s already won the Vezina Trophy (in 2021-22) and has 162 wins in his first six seasons. The Rangers bet that Shesterkin will remain among the League’s elite by signing him to a record-setting eight-year, $92 million contract ($11.5 million average annual value), richest for a goalie in NHL history. The Rangers are hoping he’ll do the one thing Lundqvist couldn’t do – lead them to the Stanley Cup.

Defensemen

First pair: Adam Fox and Ryan McDonagh

Fox, a native of Jericho, New York, was adamant that he was going to play for the Rangers. Happily for the Blueshirts, he was successful forcing his way to Broadway after a pair of trades before he had had even played a single NHL minute. He’s by far the highest-scoring Rangers defenseman so far this century (369 points; 63 goals, 306 assists in 431 games), won the Norris Trophy as the League’s top defenseman in 2020-21, and has been as First-Team All-Star twice (2021 and 2023).

McDonagh was the fruit of one of the great trades in Rangers history – they got him from the Montreal Canadiens in a 2009 deal that also shed the salary of veteran center Scott Gomez. He played seven-plus seasons with the Rangers and was their captain before being traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he won two Stanley Cup championships. He was plus-141 with the Rangers, the best mark by any Blueshirt in the 21st century.

Second pair: Marc Staal and Brian Leetch

Staal played more games on the blue line that any Rangers defenseman since 2000 (892 in 13 seasons), even though he sustained a pair of serious injuries earlier in his career (concussion, eye). He was never a great scorer but was a reliable top-four blue-liner who could play effectively for 20-22 minutes and appeared in 72 or more games 10 times. He’s second in blocked shots (1,162) and hits (1,308).

Leetch’s prime seasons were in the 1990s, but he was still effective even as the team around him collapsed until the Rangers sent him to the Toronto Maple Leafs at the 2004 NHL Trade Deadline. His 200 points from 2000-04 are fourth among Blueshirts defensemen, and his 0.74 points per game is second.

Third pair: Dan Girardi and Michal Rozsival

Dan Girardi doing the #NYR line read before the 2012 Winter Classic pic.twitter.com/cDPmVRlN5w

— Missin Curfew (@MissinCurfew) December 29, 2024

Every team needs a defenseman to do the dirty work. That describes Girardi to a T. No Rangers defenseman in the first 25 years of this century had more hits (1,798) and blocked shots (1,691). Despite all that grunt work, he averaged 22:15 of ice time in 788 games.

Rozsival is often overlooked, but was an effective and unheralded defenseman who averaged 22:52 of ice time in 432 games with 42 goals and 176 points. He helped the Rangers return to the playoffs in 2005-06 with 30 points (five goals, 25 assists) and a plus-35 rating.

Forwards

First line: Chris Kreider, Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad

Kreider is the Rangers third-leading career goal-scorer (and tops in the 21st century) with 326 and one of only two 50-goal scorers (52 in 2021-22) this century. He’s also tops among forwards since 2000 at plus-121, led all Rangers with 13 shorthanded goals and is tied with Camille Henry for the franchise’s all-time record with 116 power-play goals.

Panarin is the best free-agent signing in Rangers history. He’s led them in scoring in each of his six seasons in New York, his 1.28 points per game are the best in team history, and his 120-point performance in 2023-24 is second behind Jaromir Jagr.

The trade that brough Zibanejad to the Rangers from the Ottawa Senators in July 2016 is one of the great deals in franchise  history. Though he’s struggled in the past couple of seasons, the 32-year-old’s 589 points are the most by a Ranger since 2000, and he’s scored at least 20 goals in eight straight seasons.

Second line: Mats Zuccarello, Derek Stepan, Jaromir Jagr

“Zuc” was one of the most popular players in team history as well as one of the best this century. His 352 points (113 goals, 239 assists) are fifth among all Rangers since 2000, and he led them in scoring in 2013-14, the last time the Blueshirts reached the Stanley Cup Final.

It was easy to overlook Stepan, a fine middle-six center who scored 17-22 goals and 44-57 points in each of his eight seasons with the Rangers. He was also at least plus-5 in all eight seasons, and his plus-109 total is second among forwards.

Jagr was the biggest reason the Rangers ended their seven-season playoff drought in 2005-06; he set franchise single-season records that still stand with 54 goals and 123 points. His 1.15 ppg is second to Panarin all-time.

Third line: Rick Nash, Ryan Callahan, Marian Gaborik

The Rangers acquired Nash from the Columbus Blue Jackets in July 2012, and never quite lived up to his superstar status. But Nash did help the Blueshirts reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2014 and scored 42 goals in 2014-15, when they won the Presidents’ Trophy. He finished his time in New York with 145 goals in 375 games.

“Cally” was the Rangers captain from 2011-12 until he was traded to the Lightning before the 2014 trade deadline. He was a heart-and-soul player, who also had three 20-goal seasons in a four-year span and held the team record with 285 hits until Will Cuylle surpassed him with 301 last season.

The Rangers got their money’s worth from Gaborik during his three full seasons in New York after signing as a free agent in July 2009. He scored 44 goals in 2009-10 and 42 in 2011-12. His goal against the Washington Capitals at 14:41 of the third overtime against the Washington Capitals in Game 3 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Semifinals is still the latest in team history.

Fourth line: Brandon Dubinsky, Vincent Trocheck, J.T. Miller

Dubinsky had the only two 20-goal seasons of his career during his six years in New York — as well as his only three seasons with at least 100 penalty minutes. Like Callahan, he was no fun to play against.

The addition of Trocheck as a free agent in the summer of 2022 has paid off handsomely for the Rangers. He has 200 points (73 goals, 127 assists) in 246 games and has been one of the League’s top face-off men during that time. His 52 assists and 77 points in 2023-24 were career highs.

The Rangers brought Miller back in late January in a trade with the Vancouver Canucks, just short of seven years after they traded away their 2011 first-round pick. He became one of the NHL’s most productive centers with the Canucks in the 2020s and averaged more than a point a game after his return to Broadway, where he figures to be the first-line center this season. Miller had a pair of 22-goal seasons with the Rangers before they traded him to the Lightning ahead of the 2018 deadline.

The five episodes of “Game 7” available to Amazon Prime subscribers include: 2003 ALCS – New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox, 1987 Stanley Cup Final – Edmonton Oilers vs. Philadelphia Flyers, 2006 WCSF – Dallas Mavericks vs. San Antonio Spurs,  2016 World Series – Chicago Cubs vs. Cleveland Indians, 1994 Stanley Cup Final – New York Rangers vs. Vancouver Canucks.

There’s your Rangers connection.

As described by the press release- “GAME 7 brings the two greatest words in sports to life in a new five-part anthology series. With first-hand accounts from both the winning and losing athletes who participated in these high-stakes showdowns, each episode goes behind the scenes to revisit the most iconic moments of the most memorable games in history. From the Chicago Cubs’ drought-shattering 2016 World Series victory to the New York Ranger’s win in the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals, the series will explore how this quintessential test of maximum pressure and extreme intensity weighs on the hearts and minds of the legendary stars at the center of them.”

Although Rangers fans have enjoyed “No Easy Victories” on E60, “Road To Victory” by MSG Network, and “June 17th, 1994” by ESPN 30 For 30, this piece brings new perspectives and a different narrative arch about the historical subject matter of that incredible 1994 postseason.

Related: Former Rangers goalie believes he could’ve led them to Stanley Cup in 1994 like Mike Richter

Breaking down New York Rangers episode in new Amazon Prime series

The structure

The Rangers episode is nonlinear. Mark Messier’s life is briefly overviewed from his childhood onward with ample photos and videos to supplement the years before he became a hockey icon. It also touches upon the lead-up from the 1991-92 season.

But the heart of the documentary begins five hours before the puck drop in Game 7, highlighting Rangers fans with newsreels, TV shows, and radio clips talking about the Stanley Cup.

This episode summarizes the 1993-94 New York Rangers regular season and playoffs in quick fashion. The 53-minute program focuses mainly on Game 7 of the 1994 Stanley Cup Final as its centerpiece.

New, clean footage

A score of never-before-seen footage will entertain die-hards and new fans alike. The film has really clear images and videos of on-ice action, not just broadcast video, including practice footage of the Canucks and Rangers before Game 7.

Audio, visual, and narration cuts are dramatic. Each word has a coordinated visual to pack the punch. There are also brief mic ’d-up shots from the game of Ranger players and coach Mike Keenan.

Both Gary Thorne and Sam Rosen broadcast audio is used to provide lyrics to the piece. A rotating sky cam, on-ice cameras, and sharp shots of cameras trained on specific players complement the broadcast footage.

Brief but sharp footage of the 1940 championship win is a nice addition. The 1994 game-play visuals are smooth, and very clean without blur or pixelation. It’s an impressive display of tape captured from 31 years ago.

Messier is an executive producer of this docuseries, along with well-known actor Danny Devito.

Candid bond between Mark Messier and Brian Leetch on display

Keenan, Rosen, John McEnroe, Trevor Linden and Adam Graves add their perspectives. Keenan is subdued and gives a lot of credit to Messier.

Brian Leetch is also an interview subject, featured with Messier walking through Madison Square Garden recently They speak with one another rather than the director Daniel Amigan, reminiscing and shedding light on their relationship, the team, and bits of fun facts not discussed previously.

This is a highlight for any Rangers fan, being brought inside that 1994 championship by Messier and Leetch.

If you think you’ve seen or heard it all when it some to the 1994 New York Rangers, this documentary proves otherwise. And who can resist another peek back to 1994, the only Stanley Cup championship in 84 years for the Rangers?

GAME 7 is produced by Words + Pictures and directed by Daniel Amigone. GAME 7 is executive produced by Connor Schell (co-creator of 30 for 30, executive producer of Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story and The Last Dance), Aaron Cohen, and Anneka Jones of Words + Pictures; six-time Stanley Cup winner Mark Messier, Mat Vlasic, and Isaac Chera of GAME 7; and Danny DeVito, Jake DeVito, and Lucy DeVito of Jersey Films 2^nd Avenue.

Considering the game has evolved since New York’s inaugural season in 1926, most of the Rangers best statistics have occurred in the last half-century. And some of these records may never be broken in our lifetime.

Related: Worst free-agent signing in Rangers history, including Wade Redden

5 New York Rangers records likely never to be broken

Let’s break down five of the most unbreakable records in Rangers history.

Single Season Plus/Minus Total

Brad Park (1971-72) Plus-63

During the 1971-72 season, Brad Park played 75 games, scored 24 goals, and finished the campaign with 73 points, an NHL career high for the Hall of Fame defenseman. He finished fourth in team scoring behind Jean Ratelle (109 points), Vic Hadfield (106), and Rod Gilbert (97), who finished third, fourth, and fifth in League scoring.

Meanwhile, Park, who achieved the 17th most points in the NHL that season, finished second behind Bobby Orr (plus-83) to set the Rangers record for the best single-season plus/minus total at plus-63. Ratelle (plus-61) and Hadfield (plus-60) came close to catching Park, but in a half-century since that magical season, no one has even come close to his milestone, with none surpassing the plus-40 total.

For perspective, since the 2004 NHL lockout, only five Rangers players have achieved a plus/minus rating of plus-30 or better. Those names include Artemi Panarin (plus-36), Michal Rozsival (plus-35), Jaromir Jagr (plus-34), Marek Malik (plus-32), and Michael Nylander (plus-31).

But that’s still not even close to Park’s incredible mark set more than 50 years ago.

Career penalty minutes by goalie

John Vanbriesbrouck (1981-93) 212 PIM

John Vanbriesbrouck began his career with a single game in 1981-82 as an 18-year-old. Eventually, he became an everyday starter with the Rangers by 1984-85 and won the Vezina Trophy as the League’s best goalie the following season.

Vanbriesbrouck skated with the Rangers for 11 years, compiling a 200-177-47 record, 3.45 goals-against average and .890 save percentage, and is one the best goalies in franchise history.

Interestingly, “The Beezer” was pretty feisty between the pipes, despite his small stature (5-foot-8, 175 pounds). Out of the top 15 spots for most penalty minutes by a goalie in a single Rangers season, Vanbiesbrouck’s name occupies nine of them.

Kelly Hrudey and John Vanbiesbrouck were supposed to go out to dinner after an #Isles-Rangers game.

Instead they wound up having a goalie fight.

Hrudey shared the story on Talkin’ Isles. Listen here: https://t.co/5DH5AYnLud pic.twitter.com/QmzuIRe7dr

— Cory Wright (@WrightsWay) September 2, 2022

Despite Bob Froese owning the franchise record 56 penalty minutes in a single season, Vanbiesbrouck is in second place with 46 in 1987-88, followed by another seasons with 30 in 1988-89. Because Vanbriesbrouck frequently accumulated infractions, he set a Rangers career record with 212 penalty minutes, the only goalie with over 100.

Froese is second on the list at just 68, meaning Vanbiesbrouck’s record will be safe for future generations.

Single season games played by goalie

Henrik Lundqvist (2009-10) 73 games

Grant Fuhr owns the NHL record for most games played in a single season with 79. No one will ever come close to breaking that mark in today’s NHL when goalies top out around 65 games or so a season.

In the prime of his career, Henrik Lundqvist was an old-school workhorse for the Rangers, playing 70+ games four times. He came within six games of Fuhr’s NHL record, and set the Rangers standard, by playing 73 games (72 starts) in 2009-10.

Though five different goalies have played 70+ games in a season for the Rangers (also Mike Richter, Johnny Bower, Gump Worsley and Ed Giacomin), none have done so since Lundqvist in 2009-10. In fact, since Lundqvist in 2017-18, no Rangers goalie has played 60+ games in a season.

As the top goalie on Broadway these days, Igor Shesterkin played in an NHL career-high 58 games in 2022-23, 15 shy of Lundqvist’s record. Considering the emphasis placed on staying fresh for the playoffs, most NHL starters no longer play as often, with only four netminders playing 70 games in the past decade.

Most points in single postseason

Brian Leetch (1993-94) 34 points

Hall of Famer Brian Leetch is the only Rangers player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, winning the award in 1994 when New York ended a 54-year championship drought. During that epic playoff run, which featured two thrilling Game 7 victories, the best defenseman in team history scored 34 points with 11 goals and 23 assists.

Leetch led the postseason in assists, points, plus/minus (plus-19), and game-winners, netting four. Despite some deep runs from the Rangers since their 1994 triumph, no skater has scored even 25 points, with Mika Zibanejad coming the closest with 24 in 2021-22.

Leetch, who currently owns the team record for most playoff points (89), remains just one of two skaters—along with Mark Messier (30) — as the only players to score 30 points in a single playoff run, giving these two franchise icons a special place in Rangers history.

Most points in single game

Steve Vickers (Feb. 18, 1976) 7 points

Steve Vickers debuted with the Blueshirts as a 21-year-old in 1972-73, scoring 30 goals and 53 points to win the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year. It was one of four times he surpassed 30 goals in a single season, with a career-high 41 in 1974-75.

On This Day 5/29/1973: Rangers left winger Steve Vickers won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year. He was the first Ranger to win the award since Camille Henry in 1954 and he was the seventh Blueshirt to win it. pic.twitter.com/N2u1fEn0OE

— Realistic_Blue_Shirts (@Rangerblue1978) May 29, 2023

As arguably one of the top 10 players in franchise history, Vickers set a Rangers record with a seven-point night against the Washington Capitals on Feb. 18, 1976. During the 11-4 blowout win at Madison Square Garden, the then 24-year-old scored a hat trick and picked up four assists to contribute 63 percent of New York’s offense on the evening.

Vickers broke the record for most points in a game (six) that was held by several players, including Frank Boucher (1930), Bill Cook (1933), and Don Raleigh (1951). Since then, several other players have scored six points for the Rangers, including Anders Hedberg (1980, 1984), Messier (1992), and Zibanejad on two occasions in 2021.

Only four NHL players in the 21st century registered a seven-point game, making it one of the rarest achievements in the modern era. Vickers’ mark appears to be unbreakable.

Now let your mind wander to consider just how many teammates Messier played with over 1,756 NHL games (third most in League history) and another 236 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

If you’re looking for an exact number here, well, hate to disappoint you, we didn’t tally it up. But it’s safe to say Messier has had a lot of different teammates over the years with the Edmonton Oilers, Rangers and Vancouver Canucks.

And of all those players, Messier stated emphatically on a recent edition of the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast that former Rangers defenseman Brian Leetch is among the five best.

“I played with a lot of great players in my time, but he’s right up there in the top five,” Messier stated.

Put some respect on Brian Leetch’s name.https://t.co/H2asmmmKUm pic.twitter.com/mazwDviPZV

— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) July 12, 2024

Messier didn’t name the other top four, though you’d have to think Wayne Gretzky is at the top of the list, of course. But being in a Messier top-five is pretty rarified air, considering The Captain was teammates with the likes of Jari Kurri, Paul Coffey, Glenn Anderson, Pavel Bure, Mike Gartner and Sergei Zubov, among so many other NHL greats.

Certainly, we know all about Leetch’s numbers — the 102 points in 1991-92, the 981 points in 1,129 games with the Rangers, 741 assists — tops all-time in Rangers history, nine NHL All-Star Games — and awards — two Norris Trophies as top NHL defenseman, the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year in 1988-89, the Conn Smythe Trophy as Stanley Cup Playoffs MVP in 1994.

But what made Leetch such a great teammate, Mess?

“He was tough as nails. Warrior,” Messier explained. “Never once, at 5-11, 185 pounds, did he ever, ever take a backward step when he went back to get the puck. Didn’t matter with [Eric] Lindros coming down at him or the biggest forwards and all that. He never threw snow. Talk about a guy who played through pain

“Probably, maybe five guys that I would never worry about giving a long-term contract to, he’s one of them. You knew you’re going to get his best on any given night. What a warrior, what a player, what a friend, what a champion. Unbelievable.”

Related: ‘Secret language’ between Rangers stars makes it difficult for linemates to fit in

Mark Messier praises Rangers great Brian Leetch

Messier touched on so many things that are overlooked about Leetch, who is mostly remembered for dazzling rushes up ice and piling up points from the blue line.

Leetch was an outstanding all-around defenseman. And his ability to play through pain was legendary in NHL circles as was his ability to absolutely chew up minutes game-in and game-out, largely due to an incredible capacity to recover so quickly between long shifts.

Check out some of his ice times in big games, especially during the playoffs, throughout his career. Leetch not only played on the top power-play and penalty-kill units, he’d often double shift at even strength. That Stanley Cup run in 1994? Leetch was on the ice for half of almost every game played that spring.

His teammates respected that aspect of his greatness immeasurably.

Mike Kelly from NHL Network recently shared a story he wrote in 2020 that broke down the subtle greatness of Leetch in the biggest game of his career, Game 7 of the 1994 Stanley Cup Final for the Rangers against the Canucks.

Most remember that Leetch scored the first goal of the game. But Kelly dug much deeper to find out that Leetch led all players in ice time (33:50), puck possession (2:37), pass completions (47), defensive-zone pass completions (31) and blocked passes (9).

Greatness is often found in the details. Kelly’s research into that Game 7 proves just that.

“Leetch was such a great skater, passer and intelligent player,” Kelly wrote. “One of those guys who made it all look effortless.”

Yes, Leetch led all players with 34 points in 23 games that spring, but as Kelly pointed out, it just wasn’t the points that made Leetch the MVP of those playoffs. Nor are the points the reason why Messier considers Leetch one of his top-five teammates of all-time.

Historically, New York has drafted 60 players in the first round, with 48 appearing in an NHL game and 44 suiting up for the Blueshirts. Interestingly, the club’s first-ever draft pick was Al Osborne in the 1963 NHL Amateur Draft (4th overall), and their most recent one was Gabriel Perreault (23rd overall) in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.

Meanwhile, New York has had the top selection in just two draft years, first in 1965 (Andre Veilleux) and then in 2020 (Alexis Lafreniere), with a total of seven picks in the top five and those players combining to play over 1,690 games in the NHL.

Note: Dates and statistics from Hockey-Reference.com and EliteProspects.com were used to compile this list.

Top New York Rangers Draft Picks From Round 1

5. Rick Middleton– 14th Overall 1973

NHL stats: 1005 GP – 448 G – 540 A – 988 Pts

New York stats: 124 GP – 46 G – 44 A – 90 Pts

Rick Middleton was the Rangers first pick (14th overall) in the 1973 NHL Amateur Draft as a prospect for the Oshawa Generals, scoring 137 points in 62 games and winning the OHL Most Outstanding Player (Red Tilson Trophy) in 1972-73. After one season in the AHL with the Providence Reds, where he was the league’s Rookie of the Year (Red Garrett Memorial Award), he debuted in New York the following season in 1974-75.

Despite a slow start to his NHL career, netting just 90 points in 124 games, the Rangers dealt him to the Boston Bruins for Ken Hodge in a May 1976 trade. Once he found his footing with his new club, “Nifty,” he would score 40 or more goals from 1980 to 1984, getting promoted to captaincy with Boston and helping the club reach the Stanley Cup Final in 1988.

As one of the most gifted scorers in their franchise history, ranking in the top ten in goals (fourth) assists (ninth), and points (sixth), the Bruins retired his jersey #16 in 2018.

4. Chris Kreider– 19th Overall 2009

NHL stats: 782GP – 288 G – 234 A – 522 Pts (as of Feb. 1, 2024)

New York stats: 782GP – 288 G – 234 A – 522 Pts (as of Feb. 1, 2024)

Chris Kreider was a standout athlete at Boston College, winning three consecutive Hockey East championships from 2010 to 2012 while being named to the All-Rookie Team and earning two medals (Gold and Bronze) at consecutive U20 WJC tournaments. Additionally, he won a NCAA National Championship with the Eagles in 2012.

The Rangers selected him 19th overall at the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, and he debuted during the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs. Over the past 12 seasons, Kreider has emerged as one of the most popular players in team history, acting as the heartbeat of today’s club while being one of just four players to collect 50 goals in a season.

Although he’s still got half a season to go before climbing into the franchise’s top 10 games played list, he is New York’s third all-time leading scorer with 288 goals and is only chasing Jean Ratelle (336) and Rod Gilbert (406) for the top spot.

3. Brad Park – 2nd Overall 1966

NHL stats: 1,113GP – 213 G – 683 A – 893 Pts

New York stats: 465GP – 95 G – 283 A – 378 Pts

Brad Park played 17 seasons in the NHL, winning the Bill Masterton Trophy in 1984 and finishing as a top-three finalist for the Norris Trophy on nine occasions. Although he wasn’t flashy, Park was one of the best defenders of his generation, earning an induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988.

Initially, the Rangers drafted him with the second overall pick in the 1966 Amateur Draft while he was skating with the Toronto Malboros in the OHA-Jr. League. Eventually, Park would debut in 1968-69 and earn a promotion to the captaincy in 1974-75, serving in the role for New York before being traded to the Bruins in November 1975.

In one of the biggest blockbuster deals in NHL history, the Rangers traded Park with Jean Ratelle and Joe Zanussi up to Boston in exchange for Phil Esposito and Carol Vadnais. Besides being named to the NHL’s 100 Greatest Players in 2018, he was a nine-time All-Star and a seven-time postseason All-Star. Today, Park serves as a scout for the Rangers.

2. Alex Kovalev – 15th Overall 1991

NHL stats: 1,316 GP – 430 G – 599 A – 1,029 Pts

New York stats: 492 GP – 142 G – 188 A – 330 Pts

The Rangers drafted Alex Kovalev from the Soviet Union with the 15th overall pick in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft. While playing with Dynamo Moskva in the Soviet league, he was an international superstar with two U18 EJC Silver Medals, an Olympic Gold Medal, and a U20 WJC Gold Medal before making his NHL debut in 1992-93.

During his second season in 1994, Kovalev helped New York win the Stanley Cup, collecting 56 points in the regular season and adding 21 more in the playoffs. However, after almost 500 games in a Rangers uniform, the club dealt him to the Pittsburgh Penguins (with Harry York) in exchange for Petr Nedved, Sean Pronger, and Chris Tamer.

The three-time NHL All-Star, who won the MVP award at the 2009 event, also played for the Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, and Florida Panthers before leaving the league at 39 in 2012. Although he was done playing in North America, Kovalev went to play in the Swiss League, winning an NLB championship in 2014. In 2024, he remains among only five Russian-born players to score over 1,000 points in the NHL.

1. Brian Leetch – 9th Overall 1986

NHL stats: 1,205 GP – 247 G – 781 A – 1,028 Pts

New York stats: 1,129 GP – 240 G – 741 A – 981 Pts

The Rangers have drafted 556 players in their history, and there isn’t a single player better than Hall of Famer Brian Leetch. After a successful stint in USHS-Prep school, he starred at Boston College for one season, where he won a boatload of awards, including a Hockey East Championship, before debuting on Broadway in 1987-88. He was voted the NHL’s Rookie of the Year within a year, capturing the Calder Trophy.

In 1991-92, Leetch would win the first of two Norris Trophies in his career, scoring 102 points in 80 games, remaining the last defender to achieve the feat until the 2022-23 season when Erik Karlsson reached the plateau. However, that wasn’t the most prestigious award he’d win during his career since he would become the first American-born player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy when the Rangers won the Stanley Cup in 1994.

After Mark Messier left the team in 1997, Leetch became the captain of the Rangers and won another Norris Trophy in 1998. As one of America’s best players ever, he helped his country win the World Cup 1996 with his New York teammate Mike Richter. Together, the duo would win a Silver Medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics.

Unfortunately, his tenure with the Rangers ended at the 2004 NHL Trade Deadline when he was dealt to the Toronto Maple Leafs. After just 15 games in Canada, Leetch signed with the Bruins, where he finished his career in 2006. Upon retiring, he entered the United States Hockey Hall of Fame (2009), the Hockey Hall of Fame (2010), and the IIHF Hall of Fame (2023). Despite being a defenseman, he ranks in the top 10 in goals (tenth), assists (first), and points (second) in Rangers history.

After sorting 68 years of rosters, we have compiled the list of players who represented the Rangers most often at the All-Star Game. Unsurprisingly, most of the names on this list have their numbers hanging in the rafters at Madison Square Garden, but it is crucial to remember how notable their tenures with the Blueshirts indeed were.

Related: Great NHL All-Star Skills performance by Rangers

New York Rangers All-Star Appearances

Henrik Lundqvist (5)

NHL All-Star Games: 2009, 2011, 2012, 2018, 2019

Henrik Lundqvist played his entire career in a Rangers uniform, compiling a franchise record 459 wins and entering the Hockey Hall of Fame in November 2023. As a five-time participant at the NHL All-Star Game, he earned a 0-1-0 record and a 10.86 goals-against average. Lundqvist is one of just 18 goalies to make at least five appearances at the All-Star Game.

Mark Messier (5)

NHL All-Star Games: 1992, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2004

Mark Messier played 25 years in the NHL, skating in the fifth most All-Star Games with 15, tied with Frank Mahovlich. During his two tenures with the Blueshirts, The Moose played in five games, collecting 10 points, half his 20 career points at the event. Messier remains the fourth-highest scorer in All-Star Games and is one of four skaters to reach 20 points.

Brad Park (6)

NHL All-Star Games: 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975

Brad Park played eight seasons on Broadway and played in six All-Star Games. Despite finding more statistical success with the Boston Bruins, he was a Norris Trophy finalist in all but two seasons with the Rangers. As one of the franchise’s best draft picks, seeing his name pop on this list with other franchise legends is unsurprising. While representing the Blueshirts, he collected just two points at the All-Star Game.

Ed Giacomin (6)

NHL All-Star Games: 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973

Before Mike Richter and Lundqvist overtook most of his franchise records, it is safe to say that Ed Giacomin was New York’s best statistical netminder of all time. During his 11-year tenure with the team, he played in six All-Star Games, which remains the franchise record for netminders. As only one of 10 goalies to appear in at least six games, he owns a 2-1-1 record and a 3.32 at the event.

Harry Howell (6)

NHL All-Star Games: 1955, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968

Harry Howell patrolled the blueline on Broadway for 17 years and holds the team record for most games played at 1,160. Although he would attend the All-Star Game as a member of the Oakland Seals in 1970, he represented the Rangers at six events, collecting a single point in 1965. The Hall of Famer won the Norris Trophy in 1967 and still ranks in the top 10 regarding goals, assists, and points by a New York defenseman.

Andy Bathgate (7)

NHL All-Star Games: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964

Andy Bathgate won the Hart Trophy with New York and the Stanley Cup with the Toronto Maple Leafs, earning enshrinement in the Hall of Fame in 1978. During his 12 seasons with the Rangers, he attended seven All-Star Games, collecting five points. Thanks to his longevity with the Blueshirts, he remains among the team’s top scorers with 457 points.

Rod Gilbert (8)

NHL All-Star Games: 1965, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1975, 1977

Rod Gilbert spent his entire NHL career with the Rangers, becoming known as “Mr. Ranger” for his endless devotion to the franchise. As the team’s long-time scoring leader, Gilbert called Madison Square Garden home for 18 years, appearing in a then-record eight All-Star Games. Despite being the only player to reach 1,000 points in New York, he only netted three points (all assists) in these events, making him one of the lowest-scoring players with at least eight appearances.

Brian Leetch (9)

NHL All-Star Games: 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002

Any true Rangers fan knows that Brian Leetch is the greatest player to ever put on the team’s iconic jersey. Even though he didn’t finish his Hall of Fame career with the club, he is one of their most decorated players, winning the Calder Trophy (1989), Conn Smythe Trophy (1994), and two Norris Trophies (1992, 1997), while ranking second on the games played and scoring lists.

With greats like Brian Leetch, Mike Ricther, Mark Messier & Adam Graves. The Rangers were able to capture there only cup since the Original 6 Era in 93’-94’ (📸1994 All Star Game at MSG) #classichockey #oldtimehockey pic.twitter.com/0XF4MZp6oz

— Classic Hockey Co. (@ClassicHockeyCo) July 24, 2018

In New York, he skated in nine All-Star Games, becoming one of 35 players to achieve the feat. Despite retiring with 1,028 points, he managed only two assists at the All-Star Game, putting him in a tie with Marcel Pronovost for the least amount of points by a player with at least nine appearances.

Note: Some historical data via NHL Records

After years of “going for it” at the expense of draft picks and prospects, then-general manager Jeff Gorton pivoted to what amounted to a rebuild.

Rewind a decade and a half earlier, and then-GM Glen Sather had a similar approach to an aging roster going nowhere, leading to the first great sell off in modern Rangers history.

As we approach the 20-year anniversary of the 2004 trade deadline, how did things turn out? Simply put: not well.

Sather made an astounding nine trades between March 2 and 9, sending out everything from aging veterans and depth players to picks and prospects, all in an attempt to retool a franchise on its way to missing the playoffs for a seventh consecutive season.

Let’s examine each trade in chronological order and see what was left after Sather’s March Madness.

Related: What could have been had Rangers not drafted Lias Andersson, Vitali Kravtsov

Revisiting Rangers’ doomed 2004 NHL trade deadline

March 2, 2004: Alexei Kovalev to Montreal Canadiens for Jozef Balej and 2004 second-round pick (Bruce Graham)

Do you remember Jozef Balej? Bruce Graham? See, not off to a good start.

Kovalev’s second stint with the Rangers wasn’t as productive or long as his first, which, of course, included the 1994 Stanley Cup championship. This one lasted just 13 months without a postseason appearance following a February 2003 trade brought him back from the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Kovalev tallied 23 goals and 55 points in 90 games with the Rangers before the forward was shipped to Montreal for Balej and the second-round pick.

Balej, then 21, had five points in 13 games as a Ranger for the remainder of the season. The forward spent all of 2004-05 with Hartford of the American Hockey League before he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks for Fedor Fedorov just before the start of the 2005-06 season. Graham, meanwhile, never played in the NHL.

March 3, 2004: Brian Leetch and conditional draft pick (Edmonton’s 2004 fourth-round pick – Roman Kukumberg) to Toronto Maple Leafs for Maxim Kondratiev, Jarkko Immonen, 2004 first-round pick (later traded), and 2005 second-round pick (Michael Sauer)

This hurts on two fronts: trading away arguably the greatest player in franchise history and not having much to show for it.

Leetch was in his 17th season as a Ranger and had really done it all. He was a Calder Trophy winner, a two-time Norris recipient, a Conn Smythe award winner and a Stanley Cup champion. He certainly earned the right to remain a Ranger if he wanted to, right? Right?

"He's just an incredible player. He was magic to play with."
– Mark Messier

Calder Memorial Trophy winner, 2x Norris Trophy winner, first American to win the Conn Smythe Trophy, Stanley Cup Champion, HHOF Inductee and forever a Ranger. #NHLAlumni Brian Leetch@NYRangers pic.twitter.com/b7j8TYOP2L

— NHL Alumni (@NHLAlumni) December 9, 2020

Nope. Sather traded the then 35-year-old to Toronto days before the deadline for a large, if not spectacular, return.

Kondratiev was a 21-year-old blueliner who had appeared in seven games with the Maple Leafs that season but spent most of his time in the American Hockey League. He’d get 29 games with the Rangers during 2005-06, amassing three points before getting shipped to Anaheim in January.

Immonen, a former eighth-round pick, appeared in just 20 NHL games, all with the Rangers, scoring three goals and eight points. When his contract expired, he headed back to Europe and spent a majority of his time in the KHL.

The Rangers traded up in 2004, using the pick from Toronto to swap with Calgary to select Lauri Korpikoski. The forward played 68 games with the Rangers and 609 total in the NHL.

The 2005 choice was used to select defenseman Michael Sauer, who was turning into a strong shutdown blueliner with the Rangers when his career was tragically cut short by a concussion just 19 games into the 2011-12 season. 

It’s impossible to know what Sauer would have become, but his hockey ending just adds salt to the wound on what could be described as one of the worst trades during the Sather era.

Petr Nedved and Jussi Markkanen to Edmonton Oilers for Dwight Helminen, Steve Valiquette, and 2004 second-round pick (Dane Byers)

We’ve covered this trade in more depth when looking at the Czech Line trade tree, but like the last two, not a whole lot was added to the organization with the departure of Nedved outside of goalie Steve Valiquette, who was a decent backup to Henrik Lundqvist and is still around the team as a studio host on MSG Network.

Helminen and Byers combined for one NHL game. Enough said.

March 6, 2004: Chris Simon and 2004 seventh-round pick (Matt Schneider) to Calgary Flames for Blair Betts, Greg Moore, and Jamie McLennan

Tough guy Chris Simon is more often remembered around these parts as an Islanders, who tried to decapitate Rangers forward Ryan Hollweg in a game on Long Island.

But Simon did spend 65 mildly-productive games with the Rangers in 2003-04, scoring 14 goals and 23 points to go along with an 225 PIM. It wasn’t enough to keep him in the Big Apple.

The 23-year-old Greg Moore gave the Rangers an impressive six games, two more than the netminder Jamie McLennan.

But Betts turned into a fine depth center during the post-lockout Tom Renney teams. His offensive output was non-existent, but his defensive game was especially strong, and he became one of the League’s best shot-blockers in the late 2000s. He spent four seasons with the Rangers before finishing his career with the Flyers.

March 8, 2004: Vladimir Malakhov to Philadelphia Flyers for Rick Kozak and 2005 second-round pick (later traded)

Defenseman Vladimir Malakhov was on the wrong side of 30 when he signed as a UFA with the Rangers in the summer of 2000 after stops on Long Island, Montreal and New Jersey.

An injury limited him to just three games his first season with the Rangers, and he didn’t crack 30 points in either of his two full seasons with the club, so he was dealt to the rival Philadelphia Flyers.

Rick Kozak was a third-round pick the year prior, but never made it to the NHL. The second-round selection was part of a trade New York made to move up in 2005 draft to select Marc Staal with the No. 12 overall pick.

So, not all bad?

Related: Rangers need to pull off another big deal ahead of 2024 NHL trade deadline

Matthew Barnaby and 2004 third-round pick (Denis Parshin) to Colorado Avalanche for David Liffiton, Chris McAllister, and Florida’s 2004 second-round pick (later traded)

If you’re of a certain age, you love Matthew Barnaby. A scrappy, undersized player who wasn’t scared of anyone, he was a player you hated until he was on your team.

And despite his reputation as a pugilist, Barnaby had some pop offensively. He scored 34 goals and 89 points in 196 games during some of the worst seasons in Rangers history.

So did the Rangers flip Barnaby for assets down the road? Not exactly.

David Liffiton and Chris McAllister combined for one assist in 15 games with the Rangers, and the Blueshirts traded the second-round selection.

March 9, 2004: Greg de Vries to Ottawa Senators for Karel Rachunek and Alexandre Giroux

Defenseman Greg de Vries signed with the Rangers in the summer of 2003 and was out the door by March. The Stanley Cup champion in Colorado had three goals and 15 points in 53 games as a Ranger before finding his way to Ottawa.

Karel Rachunek had a decent year-plus with the Rangers, scoring seven goals and 30 points from the blueline before signing with the Devils after the 2006-07 season. 

Alexandre Giroux did not have the same success Claude (no relation) did in the NHL, and appeared in just one game with the Rangers.

Martin Rucinsky to Vancouver Canucks for Martin Grenier and R.J. Umberger

Martin Rucinsky is in elite company as a player who had three separate stints with the Rangers. His second tour of duty was fairly productive. He had 13 goals and 42 points in 69 games.

But Rucinsky was traded to Vancouver for Martin Grenier and R.J. Umberger. Grenier never played for the Rangers. Umberger also never wore the Blueshirt, though the forward did play 779 games with the Flyers and Columbus Blue Jackets.

Fear not, though, Rucinsky returned for his third and final act on Broadway the following season in 2005-06, when he scored 12 goals and 33 points in 52 games.

Paul Healey to Florida Panthers for Jeff Paul

We forgive you if you don’t remember this blockbuster.

Healey, 28 at the time, appeared in four games for the Rangers that season before heading to Florida for Jeff Paul, who never played a game for them and finished his career with just two games of NHL experience.

The verdict on Rangers deals ahead of 2004 NHL trade deadline

It’s nearly impossible to spin the 2004 trade deadline as any type of success for Sather and the Rangers. If you want to zoom out further, yes a pick they received got flipped to acquire Staal. Players like Betts and Valiquette were fine in the moment, but didn’t move the needle in any way.

The outlier of course is Sauer. We’ll never know what he could have been, but even with the rosiest outlook, him being the best return for trading a Rangers legend is a difficult pill to swallow.

In total, the Rangers shipped out 10 players in nine trades over a seven-day span. The results did next to nothing outside of free roster space. No one acquired played much of any role in the team’s renaissance that would begin during the 2005-06 season thanks — almost exclusively — to the success of Jaromir Jagr and a young Swedish goaltender named Henrik Lundqvist.

The 2004 sell off walked so the 2018 version could run … or at least walk a little faster.

On the latest Forever Blueshirts Show, we caught up with Rick to talk about his book titled The Franchise: New York Rangers.

Related: New book details how close Rangers came to hiring Mike Babcock

Covering the 1994 New York Rangers

Being a veteran journalist covering the Rangers as long as he has, Carpiniello is one of the few to report from Madison Square on June 14, 1994.

“I just remember how tense the Garden was,” Carpiniello recalls. “Having lost Games 5 and 6, there was an utter panic among the fans and utter chaos around the team.”

That chaos was caused by fiery head coach Mike Keenan, who wanted to move the team’s practice before Game 7 to Lake Placid. Carpiniello notes how insane that idea was and that both Mark Messier and Kevin Lowe talked him out of it.

As for Game 7 itself, he called it the most excited it could be and as nervous all at the same time. “That was the feeling in the building. It was a nervous, nervous, excitement.”

In the end, the Rangers secured a 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks to end a 54 year Stanley Cup drought. However, what Carpiniello remembers most is how the team shared that championship with the City.

“Before they exited the ice, they took the Cup around and let people reach out over the glass and touch it,” Carpiniello says with a smile. “That was a sign of how they were going to share that championship with the city– and they did. That night, the party at the Auction House was wild and the Stanley Cup was everywhere.”

Brian Leetch the greatest Ranger

We had the opportunity to ask Rick, after covering the team for so many years, who was the greatest player he ever saw wearing a Rangers sweater.

Well, I’m a little biased because he wrote the Forward to my book, Brian Leetch,” Carpiniello states. “Brian was the best all-time Ranger. Then, of course, there’s Rod Gilbert, Mr. Ranger, a wonderful human being and a great player. But Mark Messier was the most influential– he changed the franchise.”

Leetch, now 55, was one of the greatest U.S. born players in the history of the game. He had an NHL career that spanned 18 seasons, 1205 games, and 1028 points (247 goals, 781 assists). The Corpus Christi, Texas native is one of only eight defensemen in league history to break the 1000 point mark, with 981 of those points coming with the Blueshirts.

Today’s New York Rangers

We couldn’t let Rick go without talking about the New York Rangers today and if they are a real contender in his eyes.

“Let’s be honest, they went to the Eastern Final beating a third-string goalie (Louis Domingue), and a Pittsburgh team that lost Sidney Crosby,” Carpiniello notes. “In their losses, they were out-structured in a big way, the games in Carolina, they were just manhandled (until Game 7).”

The Rangers acknowledged that lack of structure this past offseason by hiring head coach Peter Laviolette.

“I think Laviolette was a necessary hiring,” Carpiniello admits. “Even if it wasn’t him, it had to be someone that can instill a system you can play in the playoffs. They didn’t have that under Gerard Gallant.”

Carpiniello, who still watches many of the Rangers games today, didn’t feel the 2021-22 team that came within two games of the Final was a contender. He did believe that last year’s group had a chance, but was embarrassed in the first round by the New Jersey Devils. As for this year’s squad, he thinks they are real close.

“I’m not breaking news here,” Carpiniello concluded. Alexis Lafreniere, Kaapo Kakko, Filip Chytil, K’Andre Miller, and Braden Schneider all have to take a step forward to win a Stanley Cup. The veteran core can do that, because they have what they need.”

Forever Blueshirts would like to thank Rick Carpiniello for joining the show and giving us some of his time.

Note: Steven Pappas conducted the interview.

Franchise: New York Rangers

From the Triumph Books website:

In The Franchise: New York Rangers, take a more profound and unique journey into the history of an iconic team.

This thoughtful and engaging collection of essays captures the astute fans’ history of the franchise, going beyond well-worn narratives of yesteryear to uncover the less-discussed moments, decisions, people, and settings that fostered the team’s iconic identity.

Through wheeling and dealing, mythmaking and community building, explore where the organization has been, how it got to prominence in the modern NHL landscape, and how it’ll continue to evolve and stay in contention for generations to come.

Interestingly, Blueshirts didn’t even have a single player in their history collect 100 points when Orr set the mark. However, that would change within a year when Jean Ratelle (109) and Vic Hadfield (106) finally got into the century point club. 

Eventually, Mike Rogers would join the group with 103 points in 1981-82 and would remain the last entrant for another decade until 23-year-old Brian Leetch tallied 102 points in 1991-92. Before his fantastic season, the former Calder Trophy winner (1989) only had a career-best 88 points in 1990-91, leaving many Rangers fans waiting for the ninth overall pick (1986) to break out.

Editor’s Note: Mark Messier would also join the Rangers’ 100 point club scoring 107 that same season.

Brian Leetch dominates out of the gate

Leetch skated in the season opener against the Boston Bruins on Oct. 3, 1991, picking up an assist and finishing the night with a minus-two rating. In the next game against the Montreal Canadiens, he went pointless; the only time Leetch failed to get his name on the scoresheet in the opening month. After 14 games, he had four goals and 15 assists for 19 points with a minus-4 rating. Meanwhile, the Rangers opened up the year with a 9-5 record, barely outscoring opponents 50-46. 

Eventually, a 14-game point streak ended on Nov. 4, 1991, against the same team that held him pointless earlier, the Canadiens. Despite a hot start, Leetch cooled down in November with eight points in 12 games but had a plus-10 rating. Unfortunately, New York stumbled through this stretch with a 6-5-1 record, finishing the month even with 35 goals for and against. 

However, their troubles were short-lived, with Leetch erupting for 25 points in 14 games in December, collecting a point in every game. Statistically, he had his best month of the season with three goals, 22 assists, and a plus-five rating. Moreover, the Rangers dominated their opponents with a 10-4-0 record and outscored them 67-48.

Heading into the New Year, Leetch had a 1.30 points-per-game (PPG) average thanks to nine goals, 43 assists, and 52 points in 40 games. Additionally, he had 18 penalty minutes, one game-winner, and was plus-11. Meanwhile, New York was one of the top teams in the league with a 25-14-1 record and a plus-goal differential of 23, 152-129. 

Leetch cools off

After one of the best statistical months in team history, Leetch saw his production dip in half, with just 12 points in 12 games in January. Although he still had a PPG of 1.23, he only collected three goals and nine assists that month, finishing with a plus-six rating and no penalty minutes. Interestingly, he started the month going pointless in two games before collecting one in nine straight, ending the month with another pointless contest. 

Despite an impressive 8-3-1 record in January, the Rangers spent the beginning of the month alternating wins, finishing with a 5-0-1 stretch to stay in contention for the Patrick Division title. 

During February, Leetch played in 12 games, earning a point in eight matches, finishing the month with 13 points with four goals and nine assists. Furthermore, he was plus-eight to push his season total to plus-25 after 64 games. Additionally, Leetch had 77 points (16 goals and 61 assists) in 64 contests, good enough for a 1.20 PPG average. 

In the season’s final month, March, Leetch collected 21 points in 14 games thanks to five goals and 16 assists. He finished the month with an even plus/minus rating while collecting four penalty minutes. After 78 games, the Rangers were 49-24-5 and clinging to their spot at the top of the division with just two contests remaining. 

Meanwhile, Leetch had 98 points and stood just two points shy of becoming the first Rangers defenseman to surpass 100 points during the regular season. Ultimately, everyone had to wait to witness history because of a brief 10-day NHL Lockout, which pushed New York’s next game to April 15, 1992, against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Unfortunately, Leetch would go pointless, meaning he would need to get at least two points in the season finale against the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

During a 7-1 blowout at Madison Square Garden on April 16, 1992, Leetch scored his 22nd goal of the season and picked up three assists to finish the year with 102 points. Historically, he remained the last defenseman to reach that plateau until Erik Karlsson recently scored 101 points in 2022-23. 

As the top seed in the Eastern Conference, the Rangers lost to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Penguins in the second round. Statistically, Leetch added 15 points in 13 playoff games with four goals and 11 assists but was a minus-five as the Presidents Trophy winner Rangers failed to advance to the third round. 

Inside the numbers of Leetch’s historic season

During the 1991-92 season, Leetch played 93 games and had 117 points thanks to 26 goals and 91 assists. Regarding his regular season statistics, he set a team record with 80 assists, breaking the mark (65) once held by Rogers in 1981-82. Although a handful of Hall of Famers like Mark Messier, Wayne Gretzky, Jaromir Jagr, and Sergei Zubov have given it their best shot in the last 31 years, no one has come close to breaking Leetch’s record. 

Interestingly, Leetch’s best numbers came against the Penguins (11 points) and New Jersey Devils (10 points), the only two clubs he reached double digits against. Meanwhile, he tallied at least one point against every opponent except the Maple Leafs, going pointless in two games. 

Furthermore, New York’s top defender had four games with four points, four with three points, and 19 with two points. Altogether, Leetch had one point in 63 games and finished the regular season with a 1.27 PPG average. Additionally, he came close to scoring a hat trick in two contests and lit the lamp in 20 games with assists in 56 matches.

Surprisingly, Leetch didn’t finish as the Rangers’ leading scorer, losing the race to captain Mark Messier, who had 107 points and would go on to win the Hart Memorial Trophy and the Ted Lindsay Award. Although Messier got all the headlines at the awards show, Leetch won the first of his two Norris Trophies that season, finishing third in the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy voting and ninth in the Hart Memorial Trophy voting. 

What happened to Leetch after the 1991-92 season?

Within two years of his 102-point season, Leetch would become the first American-born player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. As one of the heroes during an epic run to the Stanley Cup championship, Leetch would open the scoring in Game 7 of the 1994 Final before Messier netted the game-winner in the second period. At the final buzzer, the Rangers ended a 54-year title drought in a thriller.

During the 1996-97 season, Leetch would win his second and final Norris Trophy with 78 points in 82 games. Although he would receive votes for the award in the following seasons, the future Hall of Famer never won anything else before retiring in 2005-06. 

Although he would skate on Broadway for 17 years, filling in as captain occasionally, the team traded one of their most respected players to the Maple Leafs for some draft picks on Mar. 4, 2004. After a brief 15-game stint in Canada, Leetch waited out the 2004-05 NHL lockout to sign with the Bruins, where he played his final 61 games, skating for the last time on April 15, 2006, against the Atlanta Thrashers. 

Ultimately, as one of the best defensemen of his generation, with a college and international resume full of awards and achievements, Leetch would enter the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009 as a first-ballot candidate. Besides being named to the 100 Greatest NHL Players, he was the Top Ranger of All-Time in a 2009 book by Russ Cohen. Additionally, he recently earned an induction into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2023. 

Finally, four years after his departure, the Rangers retired his jersey #2 to the rafters of Madison Square Garden in a ceremony on Jan. 24, 2008.